Perceptions and Misperceptions about Immigration

Abstract

Issues of immigration are central political challenges for European democracies, with public views often shaped by perceptions rather than reality. Consequently, they tend to fall victim to erroneous beliefs, ranging from innumeracy (i.e., the overestimation of the immigrant share in one’s country) to highly complex conspiracy theories. Both perceptions and misperceptions have been identified as crucial puzzle pieces in explaining policy preferences and political behavior. In particular, they may foster polarization and undermine the public’s ability to engage in deliberative decision-making. Still, only in recent years have scholars begun to pay attention to these phenomena, and many major questions regarding their nature and drivers remain insufficiently answered so far. This panel wants to cast fresh light on relevant conceptual and empirical aspects of (mis-)perceptions) such as: ▪️ How accurate are public perceptions about immigration? ▪️ How can we measure them and what methodological pitfalls should be avoided? ▪️ Are those who hold misperceptions really misinformed or only uninformed? ▪️ What are the motivations and drivers of particular issue-specific perceptions? ▪️ What consequences do perceptions have for political preferences and behavior? ▪️ To what extent can misperceptions be corrected? What are suitable intervention techniques?

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